Coventina

by Jamie Antonia

  Layla went out for groceries she would need to grill her sinfully delicious shish kabobs. Denise moved her clay, tools and stand out to the barn to set up a place to work. “This looks good. I can run a hose out to here. Plenty of room for both Mustangs,” she said to herself. “Oh, I promised to light the grill.” Before she made it out of the barn she was knocked to the ground with a message in her head that was so loud it almost hurt. Coventina. Quintus inveniet vos. It was a male’s voice. It repeated itself nine times before it stopped.

  When she seemed certain it had stopped, she stood back up and staggered back to the house. She quickly started the grill so she would not need to give an excuse for not having done so when Layla returned. She poured herself a large glass of water and sat in a lounge chair in the yard. “Well, I know I’m not crazy,” she said to herself. She tried her best to send herself an email with the words she heard. What was that word, in something?

  She saw Layla coming up the road and sent the email with what she thought the third word was. “Just what I need, an Italian male in my brain,” she sighed before putting on a happy face when Layla pulled up.

  “I would have been willing to bet you got so wrapped up in the barn this would not have been started but, alas.”

  “Life is a never ending mystery,” Denise said. “Can I help with anything?”

  “No. Just relax and enjoy the day, or what’s left of it. This is my treat.”

  She lay out on the lounge chair in the shade of a large oak tree, trying to piece it all together. It’s Latin, or a form of it that’s for sure, but why me? Why am I picking this up? Humans I can tune out. It has to be something else. Is it possible that someone from up there evolved to speak something close to an Earth language? She stared up at a puffy cloud going by knowing all too well what was a very short distance above it, the star filled black vastness of space. Anything was possible, of that she was certain. “Oh well, it can’t hurt I suppose,” she said quietly to herself.

  “Denise, dinner is ready,” Layla called.

  “I’m out here mom, I’ll be right there,” she laughed. Before she got up to head back to the house she imagined staring right through that passing cloud when she sent a message. Coventina. I hear you. I am Denizen.

  “Wake up honey, time to eat,” Layla laughed.

  “Coming.”

  When they were finished with the small delicious feast, and everything was cleaned up and put away, Denise asked Layla to join her on a large blanket out on the lawn.

  Layla lay on the blanket with Denise next to her staring up at the star filled sky. “Lay it on me,” she said.

  “I think I’m being contacted by someone or something from up there,” Denise said.

  “Please, continue.”

  “When in Chicago. Anything we got near that was from Rome seemed to trigger that same word, Coventina. At times I thought I heard conversation in a whisper but cannot be certain. Today though, when you went out for groceries, I received what may be a sentence, again in Latin would be my best guess.”

  “What do you think it means?”

  “For now, I don’t have a clue, I mean, I simply don’t.”

  “I’ll keep a close eye on you.”

  “I know you will. Just before eating, I sent a response, at least I think I did.”

  “What say we head over to Morris Library tomorrow?”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  “Now, after an incredible meal like the one we just had, and here, under this gorgeous night sky, with all the little forest creatures beginning to serenade us, how can you resist this body any longer?” Layla said in a deep voice.

  “I can’t,” Denise said as they kissed deeply.

  4

  Library

  The first to wake up again, something that seemed to be the norm for her since the first odyssey began with the members of the Tyrine nearly a year before, Denise put on a pot of coffee and hopped in the shower. Unlike the small trailer she lived in back then, she could brew a pot of coffee and if the bedroom door were closed on the other side of the house, the smell would not instantly wake Layla up.

  When she exited the shower, she put on a thong and poured herself a large cup of coffee before bringing her MacBook Pro out of sleep to check her email. She had so many accounts it usually took her a while to weed out all the junk and get to messages worth reading or replying to.

  With the email out of the way she opened Google and searched Learn Latin. The reviews convinced her to order the Rosetta Stone software. It taught the version of Latin spoken by the Romans. I don’t know why, but I think I’m going to need this.

  She spent the better part of an hour researching online, discovering that Coventina was indeed a Romano-British goddess of wells and springs. Hmm. So, she is also a Celtic river goddess known for healing hey? Also a name given to Anglo Saxon girls with multiple meanings, water goddess, name of the nymph.

  “You’ve found another?” Layla whispered, walking from the bedroom towards the kitchen.

  “Yes, yes I have,” Denise said.

  “That’s nice,” Layla said through half open eyes, sitting on the couch next to her holding a cup of coffee. “One of these days I am going to be up before you and make the coffee.”

  “I like making coffee.”

  “And I like drinking it,” Layla softly giggled. “So who is the goddess?”

  Denise explained what she had found out so far about the name Coventina.

  “I am fascinated. What would we do without the internet?”

  “Weep, often,” Denise laughed. “Oh yes, I ordered up some language software, going to take a crash course in Latin, since it might be important to actually have a clue about what is going on in my noodle.”

  “Maybe I should learn with you?”

  “I think you should, then we can talk about people and they will have absolutely no clue what we are saying,” Denise laughed.

  “Oh you’re too nice to be like that.”

  “Well, I am the nicest person I know, but there are times.”

  “Anymore incoming overnight?”

  “No. All quiet on Hadrian’s Wall.”

  “I’m going to make us breakfast since it’s Sunday and what’s open is going to be crowded. French toast or pancakes?”

  “French toast would be nice.”

  “Would you like a side of sausage or bacon with that Miss?”

  “Yes please.”

  “Syrup or preserves?”

  “Syrup please, and yes I will do the dishes,” Denise giggled.

  “Thank you.”

  After spending a good portion of the rest of the morning frolicking both indoors and out, they were on their way to campus where they had a date with some lattes and Morris Library.

  “Exodus,” Denise sang as she drove the burgundy Mustang north on Highway 51, “movement of Jah people, oh yeah. Open your eyes and let me tell you this.”

  “You’re in a good mood today,” Layla smiled.

  “Yeah, I yam,” she smiled, squinting as she did making her eyes look like wrinkles.

  “And a tad bratty at that.”

  “Haa.”

  She parked at the Student Center parking lot and they made their way first to Starbucks then slowly to the Library. “I forgot to bring a bag large enough to hide our lattes. They won’t let us in with these you know.”

  “Well, not willfully anyway,” Layla laughed. “It’s a nice day to relax and enjoy them outside before we go in.”

  Denise loved the sweet smell of the trees along the walk from the Student Center to the Library.

  As they sat outside finishing their lattes, Denise received a message loud and clear. Inquilina. Mea nomen est Quintus. Tu quis es?

  “Did you hear that?” Layla asked.

  “Hear it? Oh yeah,” Denise laughed. “Why, what did you hear?”

  “Some guy speaking Latin would be my best guess.”

  “How loud?”

  “Quiet. Barely there.”
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  “Could you describe what it sounded like?”

  “Yes, it sounded like this. I am trying to contact you and I don’t know how exactly,” Layla whispered.

  “It sounded like that to you hmm?”

  “Yes.”

  “This is how it sounded to me. INQUILINA. MEA SOMETHING SOMETHING QUINTUS,” Denise shouted, the few passersby that were out and about on a Sunday stopping to look at her and laugh.

  “That loud huh?”

  “Louder.”

  “Come on, it’s library time.”

  “Indeed.”

  They proceeded up to the 5th floor where they found an abundance of books on the Latin language.

  Denise pulled out a small pad and pencil and thought about the line she heard outside. She began to write, Inquilina, placing a period after it because there was a definite pause. Mea nomen est Quintus. Another period for another pause. Tu quis es? She did not need to go farther than the first word to realize her message from the day before had been received. “Inquilina is Denizen,” she said, looking up at Layla.

  “You are Denizen,” Layla grinned.

  “I am Inquilina.”

  “So, then who or what is Coventina?”

  “I have a feeling we are going to find out.”

  5

  Latin 101

  Layla looked at Denise and smiled. “Mulier pulchra es,” she said softly.

  “Fusce. Pulchriora sunt,” Denise smiled back before kissing her.

  “Not bad after two days I must say.”

  “Conversational Latin coming up, even though next to nobody will know what we’re saying,” Denise laughed.

  They had established that the voice Denise was hearing with the volume turned up was that of someone by the name of Quintus, and that he is coming, and that he wants to find Coventina.

  “Are we matchmakers?” Layla asked.

  “Hardly. We’re not being told everything.”

  They had been at it nearly twenty hours each day hoping that when the time came, they would be able to kind of carry on a conversation with Quintus and whatever else was part of it all.

  “Vis ire ad urbem pizza?” Layla said.

  “Very good. Yes, but only if you drive.”

  “My treat.”

  “Tenues grandia crusta dulcia una pipere?”

  “Haaa. I think you’re ahead of me in this lingo course, but if that means large thin crust sweet pepper, that would be perfect.”

  “And if it don’t?” Denise grinned.

  “Anything but anchovies really.”

  “Let’s get dressed.

  All the way to town they would pronounce the word for objects they were passing and the other had to say what it was.

  “Arboribus,” Denise said softly.

  “Uhm, trees?”

  “Etiam. You’re turn.”

  “Equus.”

  “Horse.”

  They continued all the way to Pagliai’s Pizza. “Bona olet,” Denise said, walking through the door.

  “Always smells good.”

  Layla could tell when Denise was having a conversation, even if it was a one-way link, with Quintus. “Anything new?”

  “He’s not alone.”

  “Oh?”

  “Do you want what I think the lineup is?”

  “Will I still want to eat?” Layla giggled.

  Denise just smiled at her. “Petilius, Odomnus, Venutius, Marcus and Lucius.”

  “Well, they all sound very Roman.”

  “They are arriving soon, I think.”

  “How soon?”

  “I don’t know. I have no idea where they are from. I have no idea where they are arriving at. I only know they are speaking fluent Latin from the days of the Roman Empire, and one of them has an obsession with Coventina.”

  “I bet they will like pizza.”

  “How can they not like pizza?”

  “Please order, I must go pee.”

  Denise reached for her iPhone when she noticed someone from the class she briefly attended a year earlier wave to her from a far table. She waved back and smiled. He walked over to her table. “Hello, Denise right?” he said.

  “Good memory, Gary right?”

  “Good memory. How have you been?”

  “Ok, how about you?”

  “Going to do some sculpting this summer.”

  “Really? I was thinking the same thing. Taking a crash course in a language at the moment.”

  “Which one?”

  “Latin, the Latin the Romans used. It’s intense.”

  “Whoa. Why Latin?”

  “I know huh, study a language no one uses anymore?”

  “You know my roommate speaks it perfectly. As a matter of fact she may be a Latin scholar.”

  “See how popular it is?” Denise laughed.

  When Layla returned to the table Denise introduced them to each other. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Gary,” she said.

  “Layla, Gary was telling me his roommate is a Latin scholar, speaks it fluently.”

  “Well, there’s one other person we’ll be able to share it with,” Layla laughed.

  “Here Gary, give her my number and ask her to give me a call,” Denise said.

  “I will Denise. It was great seeing you again. Have fun trying your hand at sculpting.”

  “Thanks, you do the same.”

  “Now I gotta go pee,” Denise laughed.

  “Food tastes better when you don’t have to pee.”

  “Oh yeah.”

  When Denise returned to the table the pizza had arrived.

  Midway through the pizza an incoming message had her reeling. “Oh not during dinner.”

  “Bad timing,” Layla said, reaching into her bag to pull out a pad and paper.

  “Thanks. Ready?” Denise asked.

  Layla nodded.

  “Same message. Basically Quintus arriving soon, searching for Coventina. Wait,” Denise motioned for her to write. “Membra sumus legionem nonam.”

  Layla waited patiently. “Think that’s it?”

  “Yeah. Just put it away, I’ll deal with it later,” Denise sighed.

  They finished eating, paid and got up to leave. When they stepped out of the restaurant, Gary was opening the door to a car. “Hello, again,” Denise said when they walked by.

  “Oh hey, Denise, what timing. This is my roommate I was telling you about, Denise Lucilla, Lucilla, Denise.”

  “Lucilla, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Denise said.

  “Denise is studying Latin,” Gary said.

  “Really? And I thought I was the only one in Southern Illinois who knew Latin,” Lucilla smiled.

  “I hear you’re a real pro.”

  “You hear well.”

  “Hi, I’m Layla. What does this mean?” she said, handing Lucilla the pad she had just written the latest new message on.

  “Interesting. It says, we are members of the ninth legion.”

  Lucilla handed the pad back to Layla. “Thanks,” Layla smiled.

  “See you around.”

  “Goodnight.”

  Denise asked Layla to stop for some ice cream before they headed home. “Members of the ninth legion?”

  Layla just shook her head looking somewhat puzzled.

  “Well I am not going to let it keep me from enjoying this rich delicious malt,” Denise said.

  Both of them could not help wondering what it all meant as they headed south on Highway 51.

  6

  Ninth

  The better part of a week had passed. In that time, Denise and Layla finished their language lessons. They commissioned Lucilla to tutor them and enhance their communication skills. She arrived daily in the mid-afternoon and would stay for hours. She was also quite the authority on all things Roman, a ‘walking history book’ as Layla put it. She knew all there was to know about the Ninth Legion, certainly one of the most popular. She seemed genuinely delighted that anyone else would take an interest not only in learning Lati
n, but also about Rome and Roman life.

  Lucilla turned to see Denise with her hand raised and head cocked to the right side. “Yes Denise,” she laughed.

  “So, there is still no solid evidence anywhere about what actually happened to the Ninth Legion?”

  “Strange as it may seem, thorough record keepers that the Romans were, yes, that is true.”

  Layla raised her hand.

  “Oh stop it,” Lucilla laughed.

  “The last concrete evidence of the legion itself can be traced to York in England yes?” Layla said.

  “The Empire was expanding, or should I say had expanded as far as it could. It was a monumental task to have the necessary troops to control it. Rome had made many enemies, and the Britons were a force they could not control. There are many theories about what happened to them.”

  “Is it possible they simply disappeared?” Denise asked.

  “Just disappeared? I guess anything IS possible. Some believe they were completely destroyed while in Brittania, which would explain the arrival of Emperor Hadrian shortly after the slaughter of thousands of legionnaires, with a legion that he left there. He also ordered the construction of Hadrian’s wall that would divide north and south Brittania, making it harder for them to unite and cause more horrible Roman loss of life.”

  “When were they at York?” Layla asked.

  “Around 71 C.E.”

  Perhaps we should take a trip luv? Layla thought.

  I have a feeling that will happen soon.

  “Other theories?” Denise asked.

  “That they were not slaughtered at all. They may have been badly decimated and what was left sent to other legions as replacements. There is a record of at least a few of their commanders serving in the Middle East after the time spent in Brittania. They may have been destroyed in battle against the Parthian Empire.”

  “Parthians?”

  “Persians. In all likelihood they were lost somewhere in battle. The mystery of absolutely no documentation being found about their end remains. No one can say for certain what happened to the Ninth Legion.”